Metal shoe sole and heel protector



.I. H. KINDSVATER. METAL-SHOE SOLE AND HEEL PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1920.

- Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

UNITED stares JOHN HENRY KINDSVATER, 0F WICHITA, KANSAS.

METAL SHOE SOLE AND HEEL PROTECTOR.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

Application filed October 16, 1920. Serial No. 417,409.

ToaZZ whom it may concern 1 Be it known that 1, JOHN H. KiNnsvArrnn,

va citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Metal Shoe Sole and Heel Protector, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improve ments in metallic reinforce or protector elements adapted to be applied to boots and shoes for the purpose of preserving the sole indefinitely against wear, and primarily my invention has for its purpose to provide a boot or shoe sole andheel protecting means of the general character stated, of a very simple and inexpensive construction, one that may be conveniently and securely attached to a shoe sole or heel that cannot readily become detached when once applied, which effectively serves its intended purpose and when applied for use is not cumbersome, and instead of. acting as an impediment in walking operates to maintain that resiliency and easy bending of the shoe sole, the same as is present when walking with shoes whose soles andheels are not supplied with metallic reinforcing or protecting Another and essential purpose of my invention 1s to provide a metalhc shoe sole protectlng element in which the parts are so shaped and capable of being attached to the shoe sole in such manner that after being Worn for a short time it assumes such conditions that it readily yields and conforms to the movements of the sole of the article of foot wear to which it is applied and which can be made of a comparatively light weight without detracting from its durability.

With other objects in view that will appear as the detailed description of my invention is stated, my said invention comprises a sole and heel protector of the general type mentioned thatembodies the peculiar features of constructionand novel arrangement ofparts allof which will be fully explained in the following detailed description, specifically mentionedin the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe with my sole and heel protecting element applied, the latter being shown in the shape they are attached to the shoe.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan of a shoe with my construction of sole and heel protecting elements or plates applied, portions thereof being shown as having assumed their final shape, other parts being in their originally applied conformation Figure'3 1s a cross section of the sole plate and a portion of the shoe sole taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figures 1 and are detail longitudinal sections taken respectively on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 2.

" 'In the practical development of my in vention, the sole and heel protector members are shaped to conform to the sole and heel portions of the article of foot wearto which they are to be applied. i

The sole plate, which is of a somewhat elongated horse shoe shape, in practice, is stamped from one piece of metal or any other material suitable for the purpose. The protector body 1 is formed with a number of substantially oval shaped openings 6 that extend along the two opposite elongated or ball portions of the sole piece, as is best shown in Figure 2, by reference to which it will be observed the openings 6 are transversely disposed, relatively to the opposite portions 10-10 of the sole piece, and are equi-distantly spaced along the said portions 10-10.

Each opening 6 at the inner edge thereof having that edge along the inner edges 11 of the portions 10-10 of the plate, merge with slits 8-8 that extend throughthe plate andthrough the edges 11, the several slits 8 provided for certain resiliency of the protector plate while walking, as will presently more fully appear. i i

' At the front or toe end the protector plate has other openings, in the nature of elongated slots 5 and these slots are disposed radially with respect to the semi-circular front end of the spaces between the opposite members or legs 10-10 of the plate.

The slots 5, at their inner ends, also merge with slots 8-8 that extend through the restricted space of the plate material between the slots 5 and the inner cdges l l of the plate to provide certain elasticity or flexibility of the protecting plate during use.

The plate 1 has at least one pair of transversely disposed nail apertures between each adjacent pair of oval openings 5 and like pairs of radially disposed apertures 9-9 between the adjacent elongated slots 55.

The several series of apertures 9-9 provide forthe conventional driving of the common shoe tacks or brads 12 for securing the plates 1 onto the sole piece, as is best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

It will be readily apparent that by extending the several oval shaped openings 6 and the slots 5 across the horse shoe-like surfaces of the plate 1, as shown and described, a series of weakened portions, designated 00, are provided along the outer edge of the reinforcing plate between the rims 13 of the said plate and the outer ends 50-6O of the openings 5 and 6, the purpose of which is best explained as follows.

After the sole or protector plates are applied and brought into actual use, the said protector plates, owing to the weakened portions :13, begin to break across the space at, from the outer ends of the openings 5 and 6, to the outer rim edge of the plate, the

breakage lines being in substantially transverse alignment with the the inner edge of the plate.

Thus, as the plate is worn, it is gradually changed from a solid body to a series of independent protector sections, each of which is fixedly attached to the sole (or heel) but in such manner that all retain their relative relation with each other. The breaking up of the protector into a series of independent sections makes the protector element as flexible as leather but keeps the protector elements in such relative relation that they will outwear the sole or heel piece many times.

Forming the heel or sole protector memslots 8-8 along bers as shown and described, the process of manufacturing is rendered easy and economical since the plates can be readily stamped up to shape and of such neat design that when applied to the shoe sole and heel they are almost invisible.

The nail apertures are punched and bevelled in the same operation of cutting the plates with the openings and slits. The burrs surrounding the nail holes -9 on the inner face of the plates serve as additional means for securing the plates against lateral creeping by reason of burying the burrs into the leather as the plates are nailed tightly onto the sole or heel faces.

The holes 5, 6 and 9 while serving their special functions also make the protector plates of lighter weight and materially ensure more footing anywhere where leather soles will, because there is always a certain degree of creeping incident in the treadapplication of the protector plates on surfaces where a solid metal or rigid protector element would slide.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete construction, the manner of its use and the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those familiar with the use of devices of the character to which my invention relates.

While the detailed arrangement of parts specifically illustrated in the drawings describe a practical development of my improved construction of shoe sole and heel late, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details shown and described, since these may be readily varied or modified to suit the particular application thereof without departing from my invention as comes within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tread protector plate comprising opposite members for foot wear comprising a body shaped to the contour of the shoe tread surface, the opposite members of which have a series of spaced and relatively transversely disposed openings and apertures adjacent the said relatively transversely disposed openings for receiving the nails for fastening the plate to the shoe sole and heel, the outer ends of the relatively transversely disposed openings being extended to near the rim edge of the plate whereby to produce portions that split across from the holes to the rim edge as the plate is worn on the a series of spaced and relatively transversely disposed openings and apertures adjacent the said relatively transversely disposed openings for receiving the nails for fastening the plate to the shoe sole and heel, the portions of the plate between the'inner edge thereof and the adjacent ends of the relatively transversely disposed openings being slitted.

3. As a new article, a protector of the character described, stamped or otherwise formed of a thin metal plate of substantially horse shoe shape, the opposite members of which are formed with .a series of uniformly spaced and transversely disposed openings, the closed end of the plate having like openings radially disposed relatively to the said closed end, the outermost end of all of the openings terminating near sunk apertures adjacent thetransverse edges of the openings and the inner and outer rim edges of the plate for receiving the 10 head ends of the nails by which theprotector plate is secured to the shoe sole of heel.

JOHN HENRY KINDSVATER. 

